Tip for shoe-laces.



E; KEMPSHALL.

TIP FOR SHOE LACES.

APPLICA'HON FILED FEB. 14. 1913.

1 1 79, 1 1 Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

ammtoz ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

TIP FOR SHOE-LACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916..

Application filed February 14, 1913. Serial No. 748.485,

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that I, Enmznn Kmli'snALL, citizen of the l nited States, residing at New York in-the county of New York and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tips .for Shoe-Lacesz and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention. such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tips for-shoe laces.

One form of shoe lace, now known in the art, is provided with a wire tip, which can be manufzu-tured at a reasonable cost, but because of the wire coils becoming separated, and the free end of the wire becoming disconnected from its anchor, the tip is commercially and practically useless.

According to my present invention, I utilize the present wire tip as a, core, and form over this core a coating of pyroxylin, which serves to bind the coils together, and at the same time an effective means is afforded to anchor the wire core to the end of the lace. The pryoxylin coating fills the interstices between the coils of wire, and as the fine fibers of the lace usually protrude between the coils. the coating not only forms a hard mat in which the coils are seated, but said coating istied to the lace and thereby longitudinal slipping or movement of the coating on the core is prevented. i

The object of my present invention is to form a core of a plurality of spiral convolutions tightly wrapped around and fastened to the end of a lace, and incase the core with pyroxylin to form an anchor between the core and lace.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a bendable tip for laces, consisting of a core formed of spiral convolutions and a coating of material which will .yield with the core.

The invention also relates to other details of construction which will be hereinafter 'described and particularly pointed out in trating the same bent. Fig. 3 is a view of .a slightly different form of the invention. Fig. & is a view of another form of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing the same numerals refer to like parts in all the figures'.

1 indicates a lace of usual construction, the end of which is provided with a plurality of coils of wire, as indicated at '2. The ends of the wire are turned inwardly to prevent the formingof outwardly extending points. The wire forms an internal core for my improved tip, and because the convolutions are successively formed around the end of the lace from a single piece of wire, the reinforced end of the lace can bend.

When applying the wire to the lace, the end of the latter is necessarily compressed, and the fibers protrude therefrom, as shown in exaggerated form at 3, in the drawing. After the core is applied-to the end ofthe lace, it is'coated, dipped, molded, or otherwise provided with pyroxylin, indicated at 4. This coating fills the interstices between the convolutions of the wire, and because of its constituency it flows under the'convolutions and adjacent the threads of the lace, and when it sets, is forms practically an integral part of the core. In addition to the pyroxylin filling the interstices between the convolutions, and thereby forming a brace against. lengthwise movement of the core, the fibers become embedded in the inner surface of the pyroxylin,-and absolutely prevents any possibility of separation of the core or coating from the lace.

In heu of the convolutions being close together as shown in Figs. 1 and :2, I may space them as shown in Fig. 3. By this construction, the threads forming the lace are exposed, and the pyroxylin will readily impregnate the lace and form a more rigid anchor between the tip and lace. While wire is preferably employed, owing to its rigid nature, I may employ strong thread to form the core, this slight change being clearly within the purview of my'invention.

A tip constructed as described possesses strength, and the necessary flexibility to prevent it cracking or crumpling when encountering an obstruction in practical use. The depressions and interstices appearing in between the convolutions afford a most excellent anchorage for the pyroxylin', and because of the nature of the latter, it will effectually ill hold the convolutions in proper order on the top, and the ends of the wire will be prevented from protruding. In other words, the Wire is recognized by the trade as being practical, if the convolutions can be prevented from separating, and by my invention I accomplish this most important result, and the Wire and pyroxylin each act to brace each other and the two form asubstantial, strong, and extremely simple tip for a lace.

In Fig. 4, I have shown the end of the lace extended beyond the core, for the purpose of affording a porous portion in which the pyroxylin may be anchored. The extended portion of the lace is indicated.at 12, and when the pyroxylin is applied it impregnates the lace and binds the parts together.

What I claim is 1. A lace having its end compressed and wound with a binder formed ofa continuous piece of material, the convolutions of the continuous piece of material being Copies of this patent may be obtained for manner,

spaced apart, and a coating of plastic material over the binder, the plastic material fitting in the space formed between the con volutions of the continuous piece of material, and thereby producing a spiral rib which impregnates the lace and anchors the binder, plastic material and the lace together.

2. A lace having its end compressed, a Winding of a continuous piece of material on the compressed end to form a permanent hinder, the binder terminating short of the end of the compressedvend of the lace, and acoating of pyroxylin over the binder and the free end of the lace to anchor the binder,

lace and coating together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL Witnesses:

EMILY F. CAMP, JNo. IMI IE.

five cents each,by' addressing the "Gossioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

